Top Five Detox Tips for Brides

Yesterday Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and gave us a whole six more weeks of Winter- bummer, right? But just because we officially have six more weeks of winter, that doesn’t mean you can still eat like it’s winter. That’s right, the holiday stretch is over so there are no more excuses for eating junk food (official dates are Thanksgiving to the Super Bowl, after that it’s time to get on track!). We’ve got five easy ways to start getting back into shape for the big day.

Ditch the Sweet Drinks

Soda, Frapps, even juice can pack on sugar comparable to whole chocolate bar and have calories that rival a meal. You don’t need to do sugar, juice, or any kind of sweet drinks when there are so many amazing healthy and yummy alternatives! If you’re fancy in the kitchen, you can juice yourself some healthy foods like ginger, kale, and fruit into a fantastic organic mix. If you like comforting drinks, start getting used to tea. We love decaffeinated pomegranate green tea. Green tea helps flush out your system, and the fruit-infused ones give you a great kick of flavor.

Trick Your System

One awesome feel-full trick that helps you save on calories? Before you sit down for a big meal, drink a big glass of cold water. That will help fill your stomach before you start munching away at empty calories like bread and butter. Plus, water is the best thing you can do for your diet- it really does everything for your body! It will clear up your skin, make you feel better, and keep you hydrated so you don’t get headaches or feel tired.

Create Food Goals

If you’re competitive, this is one of the best ways to whip your diet into shape. You don’t necessarily need to keep track of everything you eat, but you can keep track of all the good stuff you eat. Aim for at least two vegetables at first, then up the ante when you find it easier to hit your goals. We like to keep tally of the servings of veggies in our daily planner so we can see how many veggies we’ve had per day. Everyday, try to do a little more or have different vegetables.

Stop the Snacking

If you have a desk job, chances are you can be a chronicle snacker. If that’s you, it’s time to do some cleaning out. Clean out anything edible from your desk/cubicle except for gum or mints (you need to stay minty!). Put it out in a common area so your coworkers can graze, but you need to commit to staying away. Keep all temptation away and replace it with something good, like raw almonds or fruit. The fewer chances you have to eat junk food, the less you will eat junk food!

Team Efforts

In theory, it’s super easy to say no to junk food and yes to foods that will cleanse your body. You know what makes it easier, though? A friend! Get your fiance (after all, he has a big day coming up too) to join you, or even your bridesmaids. Having someone to keep you accountable can make all the difference, plus you can figure out new fun recipes together!

 

Top Five Tips for Multitasking Brides

Weddings get CRAZY! While you’re getting deeper and deeper into into the craziness that is planning your wedding, you’re going to feel like you’re juggling a whole lot. It’s totally normal to start feeling overwhelmed while you’re planning the best party of your life. If you want to take some steps to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, follow our tips to be the most marvelous multitasking bride ever!

Organize your Tasks

Write down literally EVERYTHING you need to do. Yes, this will take a while but it’s totally worth it! Get everything you can think of written down and from there, organize it. Use color coding to highlight everything into different categories, such as things that are dress/suit related, things that are venue related, dates that you need to pay vendors, etc. From there you’ll be able to group tasks together and even prioritize them. Once you prioritize your tasks, you’ll be able to knock out our next tip in no trouble!

Calendar your Completion Dates

Got an idea of what you need to get done? Get it on paper and and plan that out! One of our favorite ways to calendar our completion dates is to open a google calendar just for your wedding and input all of your tasks into it. You can even share that action items with friends by forwarding the invite to their calendar. You can even share the whole calendar with people who need to know, like your maid of honor or fiance. Sync the calendar to your phone so you get accessibility to the calendar no matter where you are. Be sure to set reminders for yourself so you’re sure to get everything done!

Keep a List of To Dos on Hand

After your calendar is uploaded, be sure you also have a list of things you can just pick up and work on. If you know you have to go to the doctor, DMV, or anything with a waiting room, be sure you have a list of things you can work on. If you have a few minutes, facebook message friends for their addresses. If you have a few more minutes, call and make appointments for teeth cleanings, mani/pedis, and anything else you need. Maximize your time by always working on running tasks!

Pass it Along

While you’re looking at your list of things to get done, see what you can trust your friends to do for you. You can ask them to do simple things like picking up samples, dropping off invites at the post office, or verifying addresses. If you have some awesome Type A friends who seriously have your back, you can even trust them with bigger tasks like delivering vendor checks, picking up your dress, or picking out wines. It’s okay to delegate- they’re your bridesmaids for a reason!

Budget in a Book

One awesome way to keep all your expenses straight is to create an excel book for all your expenses. You can create solutions within the book to automatically show how much you’re spending, how much you’ve spent, how much of the budget is spent and what it was spent on, basically anything! If you don’t excel at using excel, watch a few video tutorials and follow along. If anything, it’s also a good life skill to be able to use excel.

 

Top Five Under the Weather Bride Activities

Is it just us, or is this season especially bad? We’re all bundled up in jammies and blankets over here, but are you brides doing alright? If you’ve got some big things coming up but are feeling under the weather, no worries. We’ve got five fun things for you to do while you’re sick that will keep you on track and get you feeling better.

Mask Yourself

If you’re stuck at home for a few days, might as well make the most of it and get pretty. Since you have the time, do at-home hair and face masks. If you feel crafty, go ahead and do a hand and/or foot mask. You may not feel cute when you’re stuffy and sniffly, but you can help smooth out your skin and hair! Skip anything that has too many chemicals in it- keep it organic and au natural so you don’t risk any irritation.

Pre-Plan the After Party

If your head is on straight enough to get through some planning fun, start checking out honeymoon travel. There are a TON of great deals right now, and if you’re feeling like daydreaming this is the perfect bedrest activity. Check out deal sites like Expedia and Kayak, but also compare it to booking directly with the airline. Take the time to get deep into reviews online of resorts and different cities so you know exactly what kind of honeymoon you’ll have.

Make a List (to Check Twice!)

You can also take this time to get organized for anything you’ll need to follow up on after the big day. Take you guest list and create an excel workbook with everyone that’s invited so you have a checklist for when you create thank you notes. When you receive a gift from someone, just log in what they got you next to their name and when the time comes you’ll have a super easy way of referencing what to thank your guests for! It can also be handy to do the same for all the vendors you use- write down who they are, what they did for you, and how much you owe them. It’ll help you keep track of any checks you write or payments you make.

Do Serious Research

If you’re still in planning stages, do the most productive kind of lazy day tv watching- make it wedding research! If you’re all curled up on the couch kind of sick, skip Orange is the New Black and check out wedding shows! We love Say Yes To The Dress and wedding episodes of our favorite sitcoms (Lily and Marshall’s wedding on How I Met Your Mother anyone?). It may not look like you’re working, but doing research like this can totally pay off! Watching other weddings can help you decide what you want and don’t want at yours (plus it’s an excuse to watch lots of Netflix).

Network from Bed

If you have vendors to reach out to, now is a great time to shoot out emails! Most people are available during working business hours, so if you’re skipping your job for the day, you’re in prime time to catch people at theirs! If your throat is sore or you have that raspy thing going on, it may be smart to notate in your email that you can’t talk just yet but prefer email communication. If you have the time, you can get different prices on things like your goodie bags, bridal party gifts, food, etc. Use this time to make sure you’re up to date with all of your vendors if you already have some picked out. Following up with others makes sick time productive!

 

Top Five Tips for Easing your Wedding Stress

Weddings are one of the most stressful events a person can plan- it’s the biggest party you’ll ever throw and it’s for all of your family and friends. The pressure’s seriously on! It’s totally understandable to have a little bit of anxiety before (or even during) the big day. But no worries- it’s all totally manageable with our five tips on settling any wedding stress.

Walk it Off

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or like there’s too much going on, simply put down whatever you’re doing and take a walk. It can seriously change your headspace and make you feel much more balanced. Fresh air can often make you feel refreshed and ready to take on your challenges. Plus you can count it towards your cardio, which will make you feel better after trying on white dresses all day.

Unplug

Phone ringing off the hook? Turn it off and do something else. Phones can be much more stressful than you realize, and with your wedding coming up people will be reaching out to you more than ever. This can be totally stressful and a huge reason you’re feeling some stress. Unplug for an hour and take a little time for yourself. You’re planning a wedding, you deserved it!

Turn Down

Set a timer for 30 minutes, turn off the lights, and relax. Naps aren’t just for kids- they’re for anyone who just needs a bit of rest during the day, and that includes brides! If you don’t want to sleep but could totally use some shut-eye, just lie down and put on some soft music and zone out. Giving your body a little bit of time to re-set can prepare you to take on the rest of your day like a champ! Just don’t do it after a cake tasting, you’ll just sleep for the rest of the day.

Aim for the Shoulders

Sometimes you just need someone to rub the aches out of your shoulders, and that’s fine. If you’re trapped in a mall with a flower girl who can’t try on a dress, duck out and get one of those fifteen-minute massages (you know what I’m talking about!). It’s true what’s said about carrying stress in your shoulders. It can be physically painful and a constant reminder that you’re stressed or have a lot on your plate. Get your shoulders rub, breathe deeply, and let go of whatever’s weighing you down. If your fiance is there, you can probably get a free shoulder rub as long as you promise to return the favor. After all, a stress-free couple makes for a great marriage!

Get Soapy

Ever notice how when you wake up in the morning and shower you start to feel refreshed? Kick-start the process and refresh yourself by taking a quick shower. Just hop in, take a quick shower, and your body will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your day. The steam will open up your nostrils and you will be able to breathe deeper (it’s true- steam next time you’re feeling congested) and be able to relax more. It’ll feel especially great after you’ve done a bigger activity, like your makeup or hair trial. Reset and be refreshed!

 

Top Five Single Girl Survival Tips for Weddings

So your best friend is getting married- that’s awesome! But if you’re not coupled up, it can be scary to go to go to a friend’s wedding. There’s a certain stigma associated with weddings and couples that can totally be intimidating. Bridal Hot List can be your wingman at your next wedding (we love brides and someday-brides alike!), and we’ll get you through it!

Focus on Other People’s Love Lives

Why are you going to a wedding in the first place? Oh right, two people loved each other so much they decided to throw a party and make it official! That’s plenty of reason alone to not focus on what’s going on in your love life and instead focus on someone else’s. If you’re a romantic, go ahead and appreciate the romance!

Bring a Buddy

It’s dangerous to go alone- take a friend with you! Check out who’s invited and see if you can buddy up with another friend who’s going stag. If you can’t find anyone else who’s heading out to the wedding, ask around to see who’s not coupled up. It’s okay- you’re not the only one looking for a wedding buddy! You also run the chance of being paired up with a wedding buddy who’s really cute, and that’s always worth the risk.

Get Involved

If you can’t find someone to buddy up with and you’re not a romantic, go ahead and make yourself useful! Be an awesome friend and offer to help out as much as you can and just stay busy. Weddings are a huge event, there will always be a way that you can help out! Offer to help out with the guest book, watch any kids, keep an eye on any randomly invited ex’s to keep them separated, or anything else that may come up! Do something good and help out. Who knows- that karma may come back around and you could find yourself getting extra help at your next event!

Ask Questions

Talking to strangers can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re hitting the wall looking for someone to talk to, just start asking questions. People love to feel like their opinion is valued, why don’t you indulge someone and find out more about whoever’s sitting next to you? Ask them who they know, where they’re from, go ahead and swap stories! You could be sitting next to your new best friend.

Take Pictures

Looking for an icebreaker? Offer to snap some shots! Now more than ever, people have access to great cameras and knowledge on photography. Bring a point and shoot at the very least and go around taking some candids! It can be a great way to start talking to new friends and an even better way to remember the party later.

 

Top Five Tips for Faking a Bridal Glow

Having a bridal glow is a total must, but there is a lot of risk to tanning. Not only is it damaging to your skin, but you risk burning as well (and you do NOT want to be peeling during your wedding). We don’t want you to be a flaky bride, so we’ve got some great tips to give you a glow the healthy way.

Fake It

One of the easiest ways to get an even, all over glow is to do a spray tan. Spray tanning airbrushes pigment all over you that eventually washes off. It’s very common to find spray tan locations at tanning salons and beauty salons. If you want to try it out on the cheap, keep an eye out for groupon or living social deals. You also may be able to talk a salon into giving you a first-time deal. You’re going to want to fake tan a few days before the wedding so that the pigment has time to settle and doesn’t wipe off on your clothes

Bronzing Lotion

Want to try a fake tan at home? No worries, bronzing lotion is also a viable option. Drugstores as well as specialty beauty stores carry bronzing lotions that essentially let you put on your own fake tan at home. It’s good to do a test run a few weeks in advance so you know how your skin reacts to the lotion, and to see how easy it is for you to apply (for some hard to reach places, you may need a friend to help you out!). Be sure to read the instructions carefully and wear gloves (or you’ll end up with orange palms- yikes!).

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Press for a Bronze Glow

Doing a bronze glow yourself is a quicker way to get a nice bronze glow on your wedding day. Since you’ll probably be wearing white, you need to plan ahead for any sort of bronzer fallout. The best way to do a powder bronzer is to do a pressed powder bronzer. Loose powders are much more likely to move around and fallout, and the last thing you’d want is smeared brown powder all over you! If you want to do an even glow, use a big wide brush with looser bristles to sweep an all-over bronze on your face and shoulders.

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Try a Creamy Glow

If you don’t want to do a powder bronzer, try a creamy highlighter that has a golden tint. Any sort of rose gold cream highlighter could work to give a very subtle glow. Apply the highlighter on the apples of your cheeks and lightly to frame your face. The dewy texture of the highlighter will make the glow look angelic and romantic.

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Seal the Deal

If you do any sort of same-day bronzing technique, be sure to seal in the color with a sealing spray. Putting a finishing powder may not be enough to hold your color in place on your neck or chest, so it’s best to use a spray. Find a spray sealant that you like that works in the heat so you don’t sweat any color off. If you skip this step, you risk your bridal glow getting all over your veil!

Top Five Do’s & Don’ts of Throwing a Geeky Wedding

Themed weddings are have become more and more popular over the last few years, and we totally get it- it’s fun! Giving your wedding some flavor for your passions is fantastic. If that passion is video games, sci-fi, wizardry, or whatever, go for it! Weddings are all about love, why not incorporate you other loves into your celebration of love? We’ve got the best tips to help you throw a wedding to make any geek go gaga.

Do Pay Attention to Detail

Details always matter. Always. Be meticulous about every bit of communication that goes out and look for areas of opportunity to incorporate your theme. Look out for places you can put puns, images, and references to what you love. Work your fandom into your color palette and menu. Doing specialty drinks during your reception is a fun, creative way to incorporate your passion as well.

Don’t Buy Out of a Box

While it may be easier to go and find some official merch from your fandom, try to avoid it at all costs! Official logos and anything you can pick up at a store may make your wedding look more like a gift shop rather than an homage. For example, if you’re having a Harry Potter wedding tryo to incorporate the Gryffindor logo rather than images of Daniel Radcliffe. Try to recreate a theme, feel, or sense rather than just showing off merch from your fandom.

Do DIY as Much as Possible

In the vein of avoiding standard merchandise, do try to go homemade as much as possible! Nothing shows off passion in your passion like a homemade piece. Websites like Pinterest are great for finding crafts to line up with your theme. If you’re not the crafty type, check out Etsy for fan-made goodness that you can use. Wherever there is a fanbase, there is a group that is willing to create awesome goodies. If you dig enough on the internet, you can find basically anything. If you see something that is almost perfect, message the seller and see if you can customize an item. More often than not, fans are willing to help other fans. Reach out and see what you can get done!

Don’t Pressure Anyone

While you of course love whatever theme you’re going with, try to keep in mind that not everyone may love it too. If you’re doing a theme wedding, don’t pressure anyone else into dressing or acting a certain way. If you’re doing a renaissance wedding it can be in bad taste to, say, force your guests into speaking with an accent and dressing in full renaissance wear. With a theme wedding, keep it a little more loose for your guests. Give them the opportunity to participate in the theme, but try to be understanding if they’re not as die-hard of a fan as you are.

Do Keep it Fun

Weddings can be stressful- but if you’re doing a theme wedding just remember that it’s fun! When you’re stressed out or nervous about the big day try to take a step back and realize how much more awesome your wedding is going to be. Geeky weddings are that much more memorable and all your hard work will pay off infinitely. Keep a smile on your face, and just remember- never give up, never surrender!

 

Five Golden Rules for Holiday Weddings

With the Fourth of July coming up, we’ve got our eyes on Independance day and all the fun traditions that go along with it. This summer has been beautiful so far, and we’ve been day dreaming about a wedding on the fourth (can you tell?). If you’re day dreaming about a holiday wedding too, we’ve got some basic outlines for you to follow to have it go as well as it can!

Give Fair Warning

As soon as you’re locked in, be ready to send out save the dates! Holidays can be hard for people to get extra days off near (since it’s so popular to take extra paid time off around holidays to get extra long vacations), so give warning as early as possible. If your save the dates aren’t ready, at the very least rush or give verbal warnings about the holiday. You don’t always know what traditions people have on certain holidays, so you want to be able to give enough warning about the big day.

Balance Theme with Tradition

Holidays make things more fun- and most holidays have specific themes or activities associated with them (we’ve had a few on our minds!). It’s a good idea to nod to the holiday, but remember that the focus is on your wedding! Having sparklers and fireworks at a Fourth of July wedding is cute and appropriate (and pretty magical!). Doing a BBQ with hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts? Maybe save that one for a regular BBQ.

Give Some Space

Since certain holidays may mean a lot to some people. While you need to give your guests heads up, you may also want to give them some time to themselves to celebrate however they need to. It can be beneficial to have a later start time for your wedding. This is particularly important if your wedding falls on a religious-based holiday. It’s best to always be respectful to everyone you invite and let them celebrate the day their way (before celebrating your day!).

Play with Traditions

If there are any foods associated with your holiday wedding, do fun versions of them! Traditional foods are great, but elevated twists make them memorable. Doing a pumpkin pie-inspired wedding cake on Thanksgiving would give all your guests a great flavor profile for the special day. Think about what traditionally gets served during that holiday, and do fun twists on them!

Keep it Going Afterwards

Keep the holiday involved when you do your thank you cards! While creating or finding the thank you cards for your guests, keep the holiday in mind. If you have a Fourth of July wedding for example, you can have graphics of fireworks around the pictures or inside the card. Keep the memories going and let your guests remember the unique awesome way they spent that holiday!

Top Four Tips for Shopping for Bridal Jewelry

Monday is already here and so is June! This year is passing by so quickly with summer coming up fast. Before we start planning all the beach/pool parties, (which we will soon!),  we wanted to share some fabulous tips to start the week off. Shopping for jewelry can be a difficult task if you aren’t sure what you are looking for. If you are buying for yourself, you may know what you like, but you can’t choose. When it comes to finding the perfect piece of jewelry for your wedding day, we’ve got some fantastic tips:

  1. Only purchase jewelry from well known retailers. If you are looking to purchase gold, silver or platinum make sure that the retailer has a professional set up and that their products come with a guarantee. Do not purchase from unknown vendors who claim that the jewelry they are selling at a discount price is made from real precious metals or gemstones, they are often imported fakes.
  2. Some classic and very affordable types of jewelry that are available are pearls. These are very classic staples to any collection. They are also available in three types that include natural, imitation, and cultured. There are many colors and variations available such as classic white, pink, gold, black, etc. This may be a great choice to pair with your wedding gown. It is classy and simple, yet can be elegant and a statement piece.
  3. When buying a ring  or bracelet to compliment your engagement ring,  make sure that it is of high quality and has great design. You want a ring with a lot of hand detail which shows fine craftsmanship.
  4. If you are buying jewelry for your bridesmaids or maid of honor, it may be a good idea to shop for their birthstone. Knowing their favorite (like ruby, emerald or diamond) can also be helpful. Make sure you’re picking something that expresses their style and personality.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you go shopping for jewelry.

Top Five Tips for Picking Out a Wedding Dress

You said yes to the proposal, are you ready to say ‘yes’ to a dress? The wedding dress is the most important piece of clothing a woman can wear, so you need to go in prepared. Are you ready to go shopping for the best dress of your life? You will be with these five tips.

Start Lean

It may be tempting to not eat the morning of, but you’ll need to be sharp and have lots of energy! Getting in and out of dresses all day can take much more energy than you realize. We all get that same not-fun stress right before we have to try on lots of clothes, it’s totally normal. Try some greek yogurt with fruit in the morning to get energy that won’t weigh you down or make you feel sluggish. If you’re going for extra points, grab fruits like blueberries that help sharpen your brain power and help you focus.

Know your Body

Think about your favorite dresses that you own and what you like about them. Maybe you love flowy loose pieces that make you feel romantic and light. Maybe you love your legs and like to show them off. Figure out what you love about your body and what you love to wear, and go with that! Tell the store associates what you like to wear, and be firm about it.

Have a Vision

If you have an idea based on what kind of dresses you love, go for it! You may not find the perfect dream dress immediately, so hold out and be sure you find something that you love. Don’t settle and don’t give in and just buy the first dress that fits. When you’re tired and getting zipped into what feels like the hundredth dress and it’s not even 2PM, don’t give in! Narrow your search down to dresses that have the specific elements you’re looking for. Don’t just try on a dress to try it on- that’s a surefire way to get burnt out quickly.

Bring a Buddy

Your mom, your mother-in-law-to-be, your maid of honor, your bridesmaids, whomever (as long as it’s not the groom!) can go. Try to keep it to three or under so the store doesn’t get too crowded, but you really can’t buy a wedding dress alone. You’ll need someone to help you in and out of outfits, to give feedback, and to help keep you focused.

Take Pictures

Document the day! It’ll be great to look back on, plus you get the benefit of knowing how each dress you try on looks in photos. Sometimes a dress can feel great on, but looks like a dryer sheet in a photo. You absolutely don’t want that. Ever. Plus, if you don’t go home with your dream dress immediately, you can go through what you did try on to see what kinds of dresses and cuts you liked.